Giving In
by RaigeRoller
Summary: Written for a friend in Leverageland - Eliot has a flashback of losing someone close to him WARNING: Char Death


Eliot turned on his side, his eyes fluttering open for the thousandth time in the past hour. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and he slowly sat up. Something wasn't right. His eyes scanned the room, trying to figure out what it was. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, lifting himself to his feet, and cautiously made his way to his bedroom door. Opening without a sound, he peered around the door to the hallway. The glowing light coming from the bathroom caught his eye. As he stepped closer, he could hear the sound of running water. As he opened the door and tip-toed in, a soft melodic hum coming from behind the shower curtain. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever or whomever was beyond that curtain. One hand lifted slowly moving towards the shower curtain, the other lifted to fight, he grabbed a hold of the curtain and wrenched it back with a growl. He moved to grab whoever it was, not really seeing them, but stopped as they spoke.

"Eliot! It's just me!"

"Sophie?" Eliot stilled, confusion laced in his eyes as he finally looked up. "But you're... How... I mean..."

Eliot's words were cut off by the sound of the doorbell. Sophie turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around her body. She took Eliot's face with her hands and laid a gentle kiss to his lips.

"That's food." She whispered. "I ordered Chinese."

"Screw the food." Eliot wound his hand in her hair, pulling her closer as he claimed her lips. Their lips parted and their tongues met in a hypnotic dance. Breathless, they pulled apart, gazing hungrily at each other. The doorbell rang again, followed by a harsh pounding of fists on the door.

"We really should get that." Sophie said softly. "We haven't eaten all day. We'll probably devour it in seconds."

"Fine, but after, I'll devour you...and not just for seconds." Eliot said.

A blush spread across Sophie's skin at his words. As the doorbell sounded again, she pushed him towards to the door. "Okay, but food first. Hurry before they leave."

Eliot winked at her and made his way down the hallway to the living room and over to the front door. He grabbed his wallet off the coffee table and opened the door. His eyes remained on his wallet as the door opened and he starting pulling bills out.

"How much is it man?" he asked.

Receiving no response, Eliot lifted his eyes to the door and found it empty. He walked outside to the porch and looked up and down the street, but didn't see anyone. With a shrug, he went back in and headed back towards the bedroom.

"Sophie, I think the guy left. You want me to make you something?" Eliot pushed open the bedroom door and was greeted by darkness. "Sophie?"

Flipping the light on, he looked around and found no one. "Sophie?"

Eliot walked through the room, checking in the closet, and going back out to the hallway. He checked behind every door: the spare room, the bathroom, the laundry room. He checked every room in the house, even the garage, and could find no trace of her inside. His heart constricted with fear every time he called and she never answered. He went outside screaming her name as loud as he could.

"SOPHIE!"

Just when Eliot thought he'd go insane from worry, her voice stopped him.

"Bloody hell, Eliot. We have neighbors."

He turned at her words, seeing her standing at the back door. Movement behind her caught his eye, the glint of metal lifting and pointing. Barely a second passed, but to Eliot it felt like hours. He began running towards her, the world spinning by on slow motion. She never sensed the danger behind her. Didn't realize what had happen until a dark crimson stain spread across her abdomen. Her hands lifted, covered in red, her mouth opening as her eyes widened and her knees started to buckle. Eliot caught her mid fall, tucking her close to him as they hit the ground. He cradled her in his arms, begging her to stay with him, shouting for someone to help. Tears streamed down his face as their eyes met. Her hand lifted, gently cupping his cheek. A rattled breath rippled through her body and then she was still. He pleaded for her to come back, yelled that she couldn't leave him, but she was gone.

Eliot laid her on the floor, a gentle brush of his fingers closed her eyes. He stayed at her side, staring at her, unable to get the visions out of his head. The pain welled up within him, the hurt of losing the woman that he loved, the anger that someone dared to do this to her... to his woman. He rose to his feet, stalking the floor as he moved back and forth. His movement stopped abruptly, his face grew red, twisting into a growl as he reached out and with a heavy sweep of his hand, sent the vases crashing to the floor. The mirror on the wall was punched and no attention was paid to the blood streaming from his knuckles. The coffee table was kicked in and couch pillows torn apart. He moved about the room, destroying everything in site and vowing to destroy the one responsible for ending his lover's life. Eliot grabbed a dining room chair and flung it across the living room towards the window. A choking howl echoed in the night as the animal within him raged.

He registered the arms coming around him, comforting him. There were six. One with the smallest hint of jasmine. His eyes opened and the memory of that one night three months ago slowly faded to today. As their arms around him tightened, soft words of comfort were spoken in his ear. His body began to tremble, rocking back and forth, as the sobs wracked his body. All of the emotions he'd kept bottled up for the last three months while searching for everyone who'd taken part in Sophie's murder came rushing forward and flooding his senses. Unable to fight it any longer, a keening cry was heard as Eliot collapsed against them and finally gave in to the pain.


End file.
